Leonardo’s Falco Xplorer armed with a Brimstone precision guided missile on display at the Paris Air Show (Breaking Defense)
PARIS AIRSHOW — Italian manufacturer Leonardo has completed a number of initial Brimstone 3 precision guided missile integration activities on the company’s Falco Xplorer Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) drone, marking the first time weapons have been equipped on the previously unarmed aircraft.
The effort to weaponize the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) drone will culminate in a “full development” phase, due to finish at the end of 2024, and which will include test range live firings, according to Luca Picollo, senior vice president of airborne systems at Leonardo.
The company displayed the UAV armed with a single Brimstone munition here in Paris but it could be configured, dependent on customer requirements, to accommodate a full weapons load out of six missiles or 12 rockets.
“We have already made [completed] integration, including the ground activities for integration of the Brimstone 3,” Picollo told Breaking Defense. “What we want to do now is close certification of the ISR version [of the Falco Xplorer] and then concentrate [further] on the weaponized version.”
Leonardo’s approach mirrors a similar effort that saw the Falco Evo, upon which the Falco Xplorer is based, developed into the “Astore” armed UAV in 2017.
“We are convinced that the [weaponized version of the] aircraft, along with the existing ISR capabilities, with 24 hours of endurance…can be used in a similar situation to the one that we are facing now in Europe,” added Picollo, referencing the Ukraine conflict.
Such a change marks a significant departure from the company stating during the unveiling of the UAV at the Paris Air Show in 2019 that it had no plans to manufacture an armed version.
Picollo noted that any export of the armed Falco Explorer would “depend on the weapon decided” upon by future customers, as some could be subject to US International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) restrictions. The aircraft itself is ITAR free, meaning there are no such export restrictions that could compromise export sales.
Brimstone missiles have been in high demand by Ukrainian armed forces fighting against Russia, with the UK supplying more than 600 units to Kyiv, though they have been typically land launched from customised trucks.
Originally developed for the UK, Brimstone 3 features a dual mode semi-active laser (SAL)/millimetric wave (mmW) seeker, an enhanced autopilot capability and an insensitive munition compliant rocket motor and warhead, according to MBDA company literature.
Leonardo has still to receive a military certification for the Falco Xplorer after a test program during COVID-19 was forced to slow down because of travel restrictions imposed by the Italian government, preventing Leonardo staff from travelling to the Trapani Air Base in Sicily.
Piccolo said that testing had restarted at the site “around eight months ago” with a current schedule of four flights per day, each one lasting between three to four hours.
Leonardo announced in December 2022 that a first phase of Falco Xplorer flight testing, supported by the Italian Air Force’s 37th Stormo wing, had been completed successfully, with certification to be wrapped up after conclusion of phase two.
Current testing covers assessment of radar, electro-optical turret and Electronic Support Measures systems, according to Picollo.
Phase two of the certification and flight testing program, being overseen by Italy’s Directorate for Aeronautical Armaments and Airworthiness (DAAA) will also cover automatic take-off and landing capabilities and satellite communications for beyond line of sight operations.
“We would like to start selling this when we have the IOC [initial operating capability] said Piccolo, referring to an internal company plan, not the more common definition of IOC of a military service readying an aircraft or new equipment for deployment. “Our plan is to have the IOC within this year then we will take orders. There’s still no commitment from the Italian Air Force to buy this system. Our cooperation with them helps development as we are using their pilots for flights and their expertise in flight testing.”
Should new orders be received, Leonardo will start production, at a rate of one aircraft per month, from the company’s Ronchi dei Legionari facility.
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